U.S. patent application number 12/332406 was filed with the patent office on 2010-06-17 for audio headrest for attachment to a seat of a vehicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.. Invention is credited to Douglas M. Kidd.
Application Number | 20100148550 12/332406 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42194361 |
Filed Date | 2010-06-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100148550 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kidd; Douglas M. |
June 17, 2010 |
AUDIO HEADREST FOR ATTACHMENT TO A SEAT OF A VEHICLE
Abstract
An audio headrest attaches to a seat back of a seat assembly in
a vehicle. The audio headrest is removably attached to the seat
back of the seat assembly and supports a user's head when the user
is seated on the seat while supplying audio to the user of the
vehicle. The audio headrest includes at least one speaker, a
receiver, and an attachment mechanism to attach to the seat back of
the seat assembly. The speaker projects audio to the user. The
receiver receives a signal from a source, such as a DVD player, a
radio, etc. The attachment mechanism attaches the audio headrest to
the seat in the vehicle.
Inventors: |
Kidd; Douglas M.; (Swartz
Creek, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Quinn Law Group, PLLC
39555 Orchard Hill Place, Suite 520
Novi
MI
48375
US
|
Assignee: |
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS,
INC.
DETROIT
MI
|
Family ID: |
42194361 |
Appl. No.: |
12/332406 |
Filed: |
December 11, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/217.4 ;
297/397; 381/86 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/818 20180201;
B60R 2011/0017 20130101; B60N 2002/0264 20130101; B60R 11/0217
20130101; B60N 2/838 20180201; B60N 2/879 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/217.4 ;
297/397; 381/86 |
International
Class: |
B60N 2/48 20060101
B60N002/48; A47C 7/72 20060101 A47C007/72; H04B 1/00 20060101
H04B001/00; A47C 7/38 20060101 A47C007/38 |
Claims
1. An audio headrest for attachment to a seat assembly in a vehicle
for supporting a user's head when the user is seated on the seat
assembly, said headrest comprising: at least one speaker for
projecting audio to the user; an infrared receiver for receiving an
infrared signal from an infrared transmitter of a source; and an
attachment mechanism for attaching said audio headrest to the seat
in the vehicle.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. An audio headrest, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a
power selector for allowing the user to move said infrared receiver
between an on position and an off position.
5. An audio headrest, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a
volume selector for allowing the user to change a volume of the
audio projected through said at least one speaker.
6. An audio headrest, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a
source selector for allowing the user to select from a plurality of
said sources.
7. An audio headrest, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said
plurality of said sources is at least one of a DVD system and a
rear audio system.
8. An audio headrest, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said DVD
system is a plurality of DVD systems.
9. An audio headrest, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a
power cord for supplying power to at least one of said receiver and
said speakers.
10. A method of providing audio to a user of a vehicle, said method
comprising: providing an audio headrest for a seat of the vehicle,
wherein at least one speaker and one infrared receiver are
integrated in the audio headrest; attaching the audio headrest to
the seat of the vehicle; electrically connecting the at least one
speaker to the vehicle for supplying power to the speakers to
provide the audio to the user through the audio headrest;
transmitting an infrared signal from a transmitter in at least one
source to an infrared receiver in the audio headrest to project
audio through the at least one speaker.
11. A method, as set forth in claim 10, further comprising removing
a non-audio headrest from the seat of the vehicle prior to
attaching the audio headrest to the seat of the vehicle.
12. (canceled)
13. (canceled)
14. A method, as set forth in claim 10, further comprising
operating a power selector to move the infrared receiver between an
on position for projecting audio through the at least one speaker
and an off position for ceasing audio through the at least one
speaker.
15. A method, as set forth in claim 10, further comprising
operating a volume selector for changing a volume of the audio
projected through the at least one speaker.
16. A method, as set forth in claim 10, further comprising
operating a source selector to select from a plurality of the
sources.
17. A seat assembly for a vehicle, said seat assembly comprising: a
seat back extending generally vertically between a bottom end and a
top end for physically supporting a back of a user of the vehicle;
an audio headrest attached to said top end of seat back for
physically supporting a head of the user of the vehicle, said audio
headrest including; a housing, at least one speaker for projecting
audio to the user of the vehicle, wherein said at least one speaker
is disposed within said housing, an infrared receiver for receiving
an infrared signal from an infrared transmitter of a source,
wherein said infrared receiver is disposed within said housing, and
an attachment mechanism extending from said housing for removably
attaching said audio headrest to said top end of said seat back.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an audio headrest for a
seat in a vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many vehicles are equipped with rear seat entertainment
and/or rear seat audio systems that allow users of the vehicle to
watch movies on a DVD player, play video games, and/or listen to
other select sources of audio. These vehicles come equipped with
wired or wireless headphones that project the audio to the users in
the rear seats of the vehicle. Many of the rear seat systems only
work with the headphones or are only played through the vehicle's
rear speaker system. Some users of the rear seat entertainment
and/or rear seat audio systems may have difficulty fitting the
headphones to their heads or find the headphones to be
uncomfortable. Additionally, when the vehicle's rear speaker system
is projecting the audio, users may be subjected to two different
audio tracks simultaneously.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] An audio headrest is provided for attachment to a seat
assembly in a vehicle. The audio headrest supports a user's head
when the user is seated on the seat assembly. The headrest includes
at least one speaker, a receiver, and an attachment mechanism. The
speaker projects audio to the user. The receiver receives a signal
from a source. The attachment mechanism attaches the audio headrest
to the seat in the vehicle.
[0004] A method of providing audio to a user of a vehicle includes
providing an audio headrest for a seat of the vehicle. At least one
speaker is integrated in the audio headrest. The audio headrest is
attached to the seat of the vehicle. The speaker is in electrical
communication with the vehicle for supplying power to the speakers
and to provide the audio to the user through the audio
headrest.
[0005] A seat assembly is provided for a vehicle and includes a
seat back and an audio headrest. The seat back extends generally
vertically between a bottom end and a top end to physically support
a back of a user of the vehicle. The audio headrest is attached to
the top end of seat back to physically support a head of the user
of the vehicle. The audio headrest includes a housing, at least one
speaker, a receiver, and an attachment mechanism. The speaker
projects audio to the user of the vehicle. The speaker is disposed
within the housing. The receiver, which may be disposed within the
housing, receives a signal from a source. The attachment mechanism
extends from the housing to removably attach the audio headrest to
the top end of the seat back.
[0006] A wireless headrest speaker system may be a direct
replacement for the typical headrest within the vehicle. The
wireless headrest speaker system would allow the users that are
seated in the back seat of the vehicle to watch movies, play games,
and/or only listen to music with minimal disturbance of the users
of the front seat of the vehicle. In addition, this provides a
solution when more sets of headphones are needed than are supplied
with the vehicle.
[0007] The above features and advantages and other features and
advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the
following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out
the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Referring now to the figures, which are exemplary
embodiments and wherein like elements are numbered alike:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a fragmentary rear view of an interior of a
vehicle including a vehicle entertainment system and a plurality of
front and rear seat assemblies with an audio headrest on each of
the rear seat assemblies; and
[0010] FIG. 2 is a front view of the audio headrest for the rear
vehicle seat assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers
refer to like components, FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 10 having a
plurality of seat assemblies 12 for a user 14 to sit upon. At least
one of the seat assemblies 12 includes a seat back 16 that extends
generally vertically between a bottom end 18 and a top end 20 for
supporting a back of the user 14. An audio headrest 22 is attached
to the top end 20 of the seat back 16 for physically supporting the
head 24 and/or neck of the user 14. The audio headrest 22 may be
removably attached to the seat back 16 via an attachment mechanism
26.
[0012] The audio headrest 22 is for supporting a user's 14 head 24
when the user 14 is seated on the seat assembly 12. The audio
headrest 22 includes a housing 28. One or more speakers 30 may be
disposed within the housing 28 for projecting audio to the user 14.
The housing 28 may be fabric, leather, vinyl, or any other material
known to those skilled in the art for covering the audio headrest
22 for a vehicle 10. The speakers 30 may also be mounted to the
exterior of the audio headrest 22 such that the speakers 30 are on
a surface 29 of the housing 28. A receiver 32 may be disposed
within the housing 28 for receiving a signal from a transmitter 33
within an audio source 34. The receiver 32 is operatively connected
to the speakers 30 which translates the signal to produce sound
through the speakers 30. The attachment mechanism 26 allows for
removable attachment of the audio headrest 22 to the top end 20 of
the seat back 16 of the seat assembly 12 in the vehicle 10. It
should be appreciated that any attachment mechanism 26 known to
those skilled in the art may be used for attaching the audio
headrest 22 to the seat back 16 of the seat assembly 12.
[0013] The user 14 of the vehicle 10 may decide to configure the
vehicle 10 to provide audio through one or more audio headrests 22
in the rear seat assemblies 12 of the vehicle 10. For example, the
user 14 may remove a non-audio headrest, i.e., does not have
speakers 30, from the seat back 16 of the vehicle 10 seat assembly
12. Next, the user 14 may attach the audio headrest 22 to the top
end 20 of the seat back 16 of the seat assembly 12 via the
attachment mechanism 20 to both physically support to the head 24
and/or neck of the user 14 and supply audio to the user 14.
[0014] The audio headrest 22 may also include a power cord 38. The
power cord 38 connects the audio headrest 22 to an electrical power
system (not shown) within the vehicle 10 for supplying power to the
receiver 32 and/or the speakers 30. The power cord 38 may be routed
interiorly through one of the attachment mechanisms 26. This type
of routing of the power cord 38 may help to keep the power cord 38
hidden. However, it should be appreciated that any other routing of
the cord 38 known to those skilled in the art may also be used. The
audio headrest 22 is mechanically and electrically connected to the
seat back 16 of the seat assembly 12. Therefore, the audio headrest
22 supplies support to the head 24 of the user 14 and also supplies
audio to the user 14, as desired. The audio headrest 22 may be any
type of headrest known to those skilled in the art for supporting
the head 24 and/or neck of the user 14. As described above, the
audio headrest 22 may be attached to the top end 20 of the seat
back 16 of the seat assembly 12. The audio headrest 22 may also be
adjustably attached to the top end 20 of the seat back 16 of the
seat assembly 12 for raising, lowering, and/or tilting the audio
headrest relative to the seat back 16 of the seat assembly 12.
[0015] The receiver 32 may be an infrared receiver 32 for receiving
an infrared signal from the audio source 34. Therefore, the
transmitter 33 within the audio source 34 would correspondingly be
infrared. However, it should be appreciated that the receiver 32 is
not limited to being infrared. For example, the transmitter 33
and/or receiver 32 may be configured to be hard-wired between one
another, Bluetooth, or any other transmitter 33/receiver 32
combination known to those skilled in the art from transmitting and
receiving an audio signal.
[0016] The audio headrest 22 may also include a plurality of
selector buttons 36 for controlling the audio through the speakers
30. The plurality of selector buttons 36 may include, but are not
limited to, a power selector 36a, a volume selector 36b, and/or an
audio source selector 36c. The power selector 36a is for allowing
the user 14 to move the receiver 32 between an on position and an
off position to control sound coming from the speakers 30. The
volume selector 36b is for allowing the user 14 to change a volume
of the audio projected through the speakers 30 within the audio
headrest 22. The audio source selector 36c is for allowing the user
14 to select from a plurality of the audio sources 34.
[0017] The audio sources 34 may be between one or more vehicle
manufactured entertainment systems, such as DVD systems 34a and/or
rear seat audio (RSA) systems 34b. For example, there may be a
plurality of DVD systems 34a within the vehicle 10 and the source
selector 36c allows the user 14 to select from one of the plurality
of DVD systems 34a. The RSA system 34b may allow the user 14 to
independently select from a DVD player, an am/fm radio, a CD
player, and the like. The audio sources 34 may also include
after-market sources with infrared technology such as, DVD players,
MP3 players, CD players, video games, and the like. It should be
appreciated, however, that other audio sources 34 may also be
selected as known to those skilled in the art.
[0018] While the best modes for carrying out the invention have
been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this
invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and
embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the
appended claims.
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